


If Wishes Were Horses

by Zhie



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bunniverse, Elfling Chronicles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 15:24:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11061798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhie/pseuds/Zhie
Summary: Young Arwen sets out to prove that Erestor's horse, Morir, is smarter than Asfaloth.





	If Wishes Were Horses

**Author's Note:**

> Written April of 2005; previously available only as an 'easter egg' on the Haldir's Library website.
> 
> Edited 6/1/2017.

"Asfaloth is by far the best horse in the valley," said Elladan as he and his brother readied their own mounts for a ride.

"But I like Morir," Arwen said, looking over to the other side of the stable, where Erestor's six prized stallions made their homes. Morir was by far the biggest, strongest, fastest, and above all, the gentlest of the horses owned by the tall advisor.

Elrohir stuck out his tongue at the towering black horse. "He is nowhere as intelligent as Asfaloth, and no horse is faster."

"He is prettier!" defended the young elfling from her perch on the top of the gate. Her brothers laughed and Elladan lifted her down and ruffled her hair.

"Pretty does not win the race," he said, and led his own horse from the stall. Elrohir followed with a shrug, but Arwen stayed and wandered to where the colts were kept and fed the ones who romped over to her and stuck their heads between the slats. 

The day was a nice one, a cool spring day, and soon it found Erestor walking into the stable. Arwen heard the latch on Morir's pen creak open, and she ran to see her father's chief of staff. "Good day, Master Erestor, are you going to ride Morir?"

"Good day, Little Lady Arwen. No, I am going to let my horses out to wander the fields, but I probably will not ride any of them," he answered.

"Could I play with Morir?" she asked.

Erestor looked a little worried. "Morir is a big horse. I could put a saddle on one of the ponies for you."

"Oh, I do not want to ride him, silly," she said. "I just want to play with him. You can watch, if you are worried," she added.

Erestor shook his head. "I am not worried, but perhaps I shall watch," he said. He pushed the gate open and rubbed Morir's nose as the horse walked out of his stall. "Be careful, m'lady," cautioned Erestor as Arwen motioned for the horse to follow her.

"We have to show the boys how smart you are," said Arwen once she and Morir were outdoors. "They keep saying Asfaloth is smarter." Morir snorted in disagreement to this. "Well, that is why we have to show them! Come on!"

She walked with Morir into the open field. "Now, let us see. Can you do any tricks?" Morir shook his head, his mane shuffled by the wind. "Can you count? Like this?" Arwen stomped her foot like she had seen the ponies do when they added numbers, but Morir simply watched Arwen's feet and decided that prancing around would be appropriate. On a little hill, Erestor stood with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, watching the attempts Arwen was making. 

"Maybe they are right," Arwen finally said sadly. "Maybe you are not so smart."

"Arwen, look! There are apples already ripe on that tree!" Elrohir pointed to the one he spoke of. "Right on the top. The branches are not thick, but you could climb up and get them."

"Oh, no." Erestor, keenly watching everything, walked briskly to where the twins had intercepted Arwen. "She is not climbing up there."

Elladan protested. "We will stand below and catch her if she falls!"

"There will be no falling," Erestor said sternly. He looked to Morir and pointed to the tree. "Morir, can you reach those?"

Both Elladan and Elrohir snickered, but Morir nodded and surprised them both as he walked to the tree and then after a few test bounces with his front legs, lifted himself up on his back legs and pawed at the tree branches with his front legs. As he landed on the ground, so did a half-dozen apples.

Erestor picked up the two nearest to him and handed one to Arwen, while he rubbed the other against his sleeve. "Let me see Asfaloth do that, or even your horses for that matter," Erestor said smugly as he picked up two more apples and tossed one to each of the boys.

"Morir really is the smartest," Arwen said as she and Erestor and Morir ate their apples. Her brothers rode across the fields, after having conceded defeat to Erestor. Erestor nodded.

"He is my horse. What did you expect?"

Arwen giggled. "He is the best horse ever," she said, and stood up to give Morir a kiss on the nose."


End file.
